The purpose of this study is to determine the relative effectiveness of three different mental health counseling interventions in the treatment of mental health problems commonly affecting torture and trauma survivors living in Kurdistan, Iraq.

an adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapy used to address mental health effects of trauma exposure

Other Name: CPT

Experimental: Behavioral Activation

A form of counseling therapy that emphasizes enhancing pleasurable behaviors and minimizing negative behaviors as a means to reducing depression symptomatology.

Behavioral: Behavioral Activation

form of counseling intervention to promote positive behaviors and reduce negative behaviors as a means of reducing depression symptomatology and severity

Other Name: BA

Experimental: non-specific counseling

a collection of counseling skills suitable for a broad range of mental health and psychosocial problems and not designed for specific disorders. This particular version was developed by a collaborator -Heartland Alliance - for use with torture survivors.

persons in this study arm will not receive active treatment as part of the study but will be monitored during the study and offered treatment after 3-5 months of waiting.

Detailed Description:

See above

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

at least 18 years old

Kurdish

torture survivor

currently has significant depression symptomatology.

Exclusion Criteria:

danger to self or others

already receiving treatment from our treatment provider

not mentally competent to provide informed consent.

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00925262